Growth regulators for plants have been known for some time. Generally, such regulators have been specific in the plant or type of plant which can be effected. Further, the known regulators generally regulate or increase one growth characteristic, i.e., dry weight increase, water uptake, leaf area increase, etc., at the expense of other growth characteristics.
There have been published reports that aliphatic organic compounds, many of which are known to be natural products, possess growth inhibiting or promoting activities (see the publication of Dieter Gross in Phytochem. 14, 2105, 1975). Fatty alcohols with chain links C.sub.9, C.sub.10, and C.sub.11 are active in inhibiting axillary and terminal bud growth, as reported by Cathey et al in Science, 153, 1382 (1966) and by Stephens et al in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry at 15, 972 (1967). The Brassins, a group of unidentified compounds, are capable of inducing the elongation of plants and have a glyceride structure, see Mitchell et at in Nature 225, (1970). The primary alcohol 1-docosanol, isolated from Maryland Mammoth tobacco (Nicotiana Tobacum L.) was shown to increase growth using the oat first-internode method, as published by Vlitos et at in Nature 183, 462 (1959) and Crosby et al in Plant Growth Substances, Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa, 57 (1961). Other synthetic alcohols with 17-22 carbon atoms and their acidic esters also showed activity. 1-Triacontanol was tested, but was not active with this test.
Prior to the present invention, there was no known natural or synthetic growth regulator capable of effective use on a wide range of crops throughout the world. The present invention provides a growth regulator which is effective under a wide range of conditions and on many different species of crops.